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It should not be a chance that some of the fighters will drop their drop tanks in order to engage the enemy interceptors (16.4.2.). All depend on the number of enemy interceptors. If I have 100 fighters and encounter 2 enemy interceptors, 4 of my fighters may need to drop their drop tanks to engage the enemy. If there is 200 enemy interceptors, all my fighters would drop their drop tanks not some. Dogfight is a matter of life and death. If I am a pilot, I would drop the drop tanks before fight. Thus the scenario of carrying the drop tanks to engage in air to air combat will not exist. The matter is reducing the escort radius of the fighter.

Your example is most likely closer to reality than the current rules allow.

But isn't really a moot point given they have removed drop tanks from fighter load-outs after turn 1?

Does it mean the reduction of escort radius? If so, it undermine the purpose of the drop tank!

Exactly.

It completely undermines everything associated with drop tank usage by Axis Fighters.

I have searched high & low for anything that historically supports their discontinued usage across the entire Eastern Front post June 22, 1941.

There is very scant historical records regarding it, but what I did find showed they were still in usage until at least late 1942.

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If you doubt me, remove the drop tank from you Axis AC. Then see if it lets you add it back?

However, I would highly recommend that you save the game first.

Japan used the drop tank. Thus the drop tank was not new. The Germans did not use the drop tank during the Battle of Britain. Hence, they paid a high price for the bombers. The use of drop tank was a waste. Aviation fuel was precious for Germany in 1940s.

As for the game, I modify its radius.

Of course the drop tank is not new.

Luftwaffe air frames continued to support the use of drop tanks throughout the war.

So, you just modify the game data to compensate? That is kind of funny.

DarkHorse2 wrote: Sun May 01, 2022 12:25 am Your example is most likely closer to reality than the current rules allow.

But isn't really a moot point given they have removed drop tanks from fighter load-outs after turn 1?

it is not auto removed unless you remove it by your own or upgrade a plane
so it is possible for an Axis to cover enormous areas and a result just delete Soviets in a2a battles when they happen properly

A fighter with its combat radius of 400 miles is needed to escort bombers to a target of 500 miles away. It need a drop tank of 200 miles for consumption. In its first 200 miles, the fuel in the drop tank is consumed. It releases the drop tank and continue the escort duty. It is equivalent to its combat radius increased without its performance degraded loading on the drop tank during taking-off. What is also affected is the fuel consumption only. Is it the purpose of the use of drop tank? Thus the program line for performance degraded with drop tank carried should be removed.

BTW: German's diesel has the specific gravity of 0.6 to 0.7 and aviation fuel of 0.4 to 0.5. Apparently, it is hard to produce aviation fuel than diesel. As they are indistinguishable in WitE2, it is a little advantage to Luftwaffen in term of the production/consumption of fuel in the game.

It is okay because fuel production and consumption is irrelevant.

Stamb wrote: Sun May 01, 2022 6:26 am ...

it is not auto removed unless you remove it by your own or upgrade a plane
...

actually fuel tanks can be auto removed in certain circumstances - errata for patch 01.02.26

loki100 wrote: Mon May 02, 2022 7:41 am

Stamb wrote: Sun May 01, 2022 6:26 am ...

it is not auto removed unless you remove it by your own or upgrade a plane
...

actually fuel tanks can be auto removed in certain circumstances - errata for patch 01.02.26

i have access to official patches only, thus latest for me is 01.02.25
if it is fixed in .26 then i am very glad